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Vol XXX No. 177
DIMAPUR, WEDNESDAY, JUNE 3, 2020 Pages 12 ` 5.00
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2141 COVID-19 positive cases in NE
AGARTALA/AIZAWL/ G U W A H A T I / SHILLONG/IMPHAL, JUN 2 (PTI/NPN): Number of confirmed COVID19 positive cases in the North East region continued to increase on Tuesday. Tally of confirmed cases rose to 423 in Tripura with 102 people testing positive for coronavirus, officials said on Tuesday. They said 173 people have recovered from COVID-19 and have been discharged from hospital. Assam: The number of coronavirus cases in Assam reached 1,513 on Tuesday after 28 more people tested positive for COVID-19, Health Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said. Of the 28 new cases, five returned to the state by air, 12 are from Nagaon, 10 from Golaghat and one from Jorhat district, the minister said. Forty people have been discharged from hospitals after recovering from the disease, he said. Eighteen patients have been released from Silchar Medical College Hospital, 12 from Golaghat District hospital, nine from Ma-
India approves emergency use of remdesivir
NEW DELHI, JUN 2 (PTI): Anti-viral drug remdesivir has been approved for “restricted emergency use” on severe COVID-19 patients in view of the crisis posed by the pandemic, health ministry said on Tuesday. Joint Secretary in the ministry Lav Agarwal said the permission for remdesivir was given following due process based on the available evidence. On Monday, India’s drug regulator granted US pharma giant Gilead Sciences the marketing authorisation for its drug remdesivir for “restricted emergency use” on hospitalised COVID-19 patients, sources said. (Cont’d on p-8)
Distts can frame certain guidelines
KOHIMA, JUN 2 (NPN): Even as the state government has informed that the May 4 lockdown guidelines will continue across the state, government spokesperson and minister Neiba Kronu Tuesday said that the deputy commissioners could frame “certain guidelines” according to the situation. Since problems differ from district to district, the state government has authorized all DCs to frame certain guidelines, Kronu said while addressing the media here on Tuesday.
This is it!
“You will do well to understand that this is a quarantine facility and not a five star facility.” K Y M C
hendra Mohan Choudhury Hospital in Guwahati and one from Dhemaji district hospital. Assam now has 1,182 active cases, while 324 have recovered from the infection. Four persons have died due to coronavirus and three patients migrated to other states. Mizoram: In Mizoram, 12 people who recently returned from Delhi and Kolkata have tested positive for the novel coronavirus in Mizoram, an official said on Tuesday. The state had earlier reported only one COVID-19 case
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on March 24. The first patient was discharged from hospital on May 9 after he recovered. Meghalaya: In Meghalaya, two persons who recently returned from Uttar Pradesh tested positive for COVID-19 on Tuesday taking the total number of cases in the state to 30, Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma said. There are 17 active cases in the state at present, he said. Both the new patients were in quarantine in Chibinang in West Garo Hills district, the chief minister tweeted.
All 17 patients who are at present undergoing treatment have returned from other states. They are admitted at the COVID hospital in Shillong and at the corona care centres in North Garo Hills and West Garo Hills districts. Arunachal Pradesh: In Arunachal Pradesh, six people tested positive for COVID-19 on Tuesday, taking the number of active cases to 27, a senior government official here said. All six have recently returned to the state from other parts of the country,
State COVID-19 tally 49 with 6 new cases
Correspondent
KOHIMA, JUN 2 (NPN): COVID-19 positive cases in Nagaland climbed to 49 Tuesday as six more people lodged at Dimapur quarantine centres tested positive for the infection. According to state Health minister, S. Pangnyu Phom, out of 90 COVID-19 suspected samples (all Chennai returnees) that were tested, 6 were positive-- 5 male and 1 female. Addressing the media here at the civil secretariat
conference hall Tuesday, spokespersons-- minister Neiba Kronu, accompanied by adviser Mmhonlumo Kikon, informed that out of the 49 COVID patients, 33 were asymptomatic and 16 with mild symptoms. He further informed that 3157 cumulative COVID-19 suspected samples were sent for testing, out of which the report of 1789 were received with 1740 negative and 49 positive cases. The results of 1368 were awaited, he said. He also informed that the
newly formed High Powered Committee (HPC) headed by the chief minister, held a videoconferencing with all DCs, SPs, CMOs and District Task Force officials, where the CM was briefed on the preparedness level to combat the COVID-19 pandemic. While admitting the lapses for the Tuensang incident, Kronu said the government had formed the HPC, headed by the chief minister so that such incidents do not occur in the future. Adviser Mmhonlumo Kikon informed the media that the government will be compiling the new guidelines to be enforced across the state. HPC is headed by chief minister Neiphiu Rio, co-chaired by deputy CM Y. Patton with ministers-Pangnyu Phom and Neiba Kronu and adviser Mmhonlumo Kikon as members and chief secretary Temjen Toy as member secretary.
Will use military to halt unrest: Trump
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he said. Five of them are from the state capital. Manipur: In Manipur, COVID-19 positive case increased to 85 as two more returnees tested positive for the virus on Monday night, an official said on Tuesday. Of the total 85 COVID-19 positive cases, 74 are active cases whereas 11 have recovered and discharged from hospitals, a release of the COVID-19 Common Control Room of the Manipur government said. Two returnees were confirmed COVID positive at the VRDL of RIMS, Imphal late Monday night. Of the two new cases, one is a 50-year-old woman from Imphal West who returned to the state, while the other is a 26-year-old Delhi returnee from Thoubal district, the release stated. Earlier on Monday, five cases were reported in Manipur, taking the total number of COVID-19 positive cases to 83. Of the five cases reported on Sunday, four patients were Delhi returnees while one was a Chennai returnee. (Correspondent)
India’s COVID19 tally crosses 2-lakh mark NEW DELHI, JUN 2 (PTI): Nationwide tally of confirmed COVID-19 cases crossed the 2-lakh mark on Tuesday with almost one lakh people testing positive for the dreaded virus infection in the last 15 days. In its morning update, the Health Ministry said the death toll had risen to 5,598 with 204 more fatalities in 24 hours since Monday 8 a.m., while 8,171 new cases were detected during this period to take the overall tally to 1,98,706. However, a PTI tally of figures announced by different states and union territories as of 10.05 PM showed the cumulative count of confirmed COVID-19 cases having risen to 2,00,321 and the death toll of 5,739. It also showed a higher count of recoveries at 99,613, leaving nearly 95,000 active cases across the country.
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India will definitely get back its economic growth: Modi NEW DELHI, JUN 2 (PTI): A day after Moody’s downgraded India’s credit rating to a notch above junk status on growth concerns, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday asserted that the country will definitely get back its economic growth and said reforms undertaken during the lockdown will help the economy in the long-run. Pledging to undertake more structural reforms that will change the course of the country, he explained the concept of Atma-nirbhar Bharat or Self-reliant India – one where products are Made in India for the world and a nation that is not dependent on others in strategic sectors. Speaking at CII’s Annual Session, he called on India Inc to rise to the occasion and partner rural India in these testing times. “On the one hand we have taken tough steps to fight the virus and on the other, we have taken care of the economy,” he said. “We have to save the lives of citizens while also stabilise the economy and speed up growth,” he added.
Narendra Modi
Indian industry, he said, has started talking about ‘getting growth back’. “I will go beyond getting growth back to say Yes! We will definitely get our growth back,” he said expressing confidence in Indian farmers, small businesses, and entrepreneurs for helping achieve that. Meanwhile, Moody’s Investors Service on Monday downgraded India to the lowest investment grade level and kept it on a negative watch. Modi said reforms meant the courage to take decisions, and take them to their logical conclusion. The government is trying to create a facilitative ecosystem for private enterprises, he said. “Getting growth
back is not that difficult and the path to that is Atmanirbhar bharat,” he said. Self-reliant India means the country will embrace the world by becoming stronger. “Atma-nirbhar bharat will be fully integrated with the world economy and also be supportive.” “We have to invest in the robust local supply chain that can strengthen India’s participation in global supply chain,” he said. “There is a need to create products that are Made in India and Made for the World.” Self-reliant India is about cutting down imports, improving productivity setting targets, and not relying on others in strategic sectors, he said. India, he said, can increase exports and create jobs in furniture, air-conditioning, leather and footwear sectors. After more than two months of the world’s most expansive lockdown, the country has entered ‘Unlock Phase-one’. “Under Un-Lock Phase-one, a large part of the economy has opened up,” he said adding the lockdown had been effective in controlling the spread of coronavirus.
Tuensang incident unfortunate: Pangnyu Correspondent
KOHIMA, JUN 2 (NPN): Even as Eastern Nagaland People’s Organisation (ENPO) sought governor RN Ravi’s intervention after the expiry of its three-day ultimatum on the State government seeking disciplinary action against erring officials involved in Tuensang fiasco, Health & Family Welfare (H&FW) minister S. Pangnyu Phom admitted the lapses and termed the incident unfortunate. Interacting with media persons here on Tuesday, Phom pointed out that the State government had constituted Judicial Inquiry Committee (JIC), which was already on the job. He also clarified that H&FW principal secretary Menukhol John was removed recently as he was holding additional charge, adding a new commissioner secretary had been appointed.
S. Pangnyu Phom
On the State government and department concerned not owning responsibility for the Tuensang incident, Phom explained that it was joint responsibility because the responsibility of receiving and sending returnees to their respective district did not lie on the department alone. He said he did not want to comment further on the matter until JIC gave its report. The minister claimed
that the decision to set up BSL-2 laboratory at Tuensang was taken prior to the fiasco, clarifying that it had nothing to do with the incident. He also pointed out to newsmen that chief minister Neiphiu Rio and chief secretary Temjen Toy had admitted to the lapses and stated that all efforts were on to ensure that such incident did not take place in future. To queries, Phom said there were certain protocols for doing re-test of the current COVID patients, adding he had spoken to the patients and they were stable as per their medical reports. Mentioning that the State government has decided to procure 20 TrueNat machines immediately, he said five of these machines would reach the State on June 5 and that these would be distributed to the districts on priority basis.
Traders appeal to reopen New Market, Hazi Park H&FW dept appointed 27 doctors: PD Staff Reporter
DIMAPUR, JUN 2 (NPN): Traders of New Market and Hazi Park have appealed to the state government to allow them to reopen their shops that remained closed as part of government’s preventive measures to contain the spread of COVID-19. On Tuesday, a few hundred traders gathered at New Market Dimapur to appeal the state government and the district administration for reopening shops and resumption of businesses. Speaking to the media persons, New Market Ward19 GB, Khekishe Aye, highlighted the grievances faced by traders and said that it has been almost 72 days that the shops at New Market have remained closed. GB said that perishable and nonperishable goods have been badly affected due to prolonged closure of shops.
Traders gather at New Market in Dimapur on Tuesday. (NP)
With the businesses shut, Aye said the shopkeepers have been undergoing financial problems although they had received assistance from the government twice. “Unfortunately, this lockdown has come at the time of the peak months for them and they have already given up the hope to make extra income during the peak season. These poor individu-
als and their families are now facing certain poverty and survival challenges,” Aye said. Since the traders have to pay salaries to their employees, GB said it has to be business as usual or they would starve. According to GB, a petition has been submitted to DC Dimapur and Dimapur Municipal Council (DMC) to innerve and address the matter, but there has been no
positive response till date. The traders expressed concern that most of the goods that have been left unattended have either expired or gnawed by rats. The traders also claimed that more than eight shops have been robbed. Questioning the opening of shops at GS road, NL road and Super Market besides footpath stalls, they said there was no difference between them. “Shops selling essential commodities are allowed to operate during the lockdown, but why shops that dealt with similar goods be deprived to earn their livelihood,” some traders questioned. The traders assured that once the shops were allowed to open they would ensure maintaining social distancing and strictly follow all the guidelines issued by the state government.
HEALTH PERSONNEL IN POSITION IN PUBLIC SECTOR No of Doctors No of Nurses District On Duty On Leave On Duty On Leave Dimapur 81 0 293 Kiphire 26 3 84 Kohima 110 2 359 Longleng 21 2 55 Mokokchung 54 3 320 Mon 36 7 161 Peren 32 0 93 Phek 47 6 196 Tuensang 40 4 172 Wokha 42 4 152 Zunheboto 33 7 152 State Total 522 38 2037 *1 nurse who was on leave resigned under Dimapur district *Health personnel changed under Mon District
KOHIMA, JUN 2 (NPN): As the state has been grappling with shortage of health professionals/doctors to combat the COVID-19 pandemic, Health & Family Welfare (H&FW) principal director (PD) Dr. Vizolie. Z Suokhrie Tuesday informed that the department had recently appointed 27 doc(Cont’d on p-8) tors.
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The newly appointed doctors will be sent to districts/areas where there are shortage of doctors, he said. Dr. Suokhrie said that the appointments were made as the department was given a special dispensation vide notification on April 1, 2020 on appointment of health professionals. On the issue of require-
ment for more COVID hospitals, he said the department will make arrangements if and when designated COVID hospitals exhaust their capacity. 4077 persons under DQs: Around 4077 people were currently under designate quarantines (DQs) across the state except in Kiphire as on June 2, 2020. As per the data, made available to the media by National Health Mission (H&FW) mission director, Dr. Kevichusa Medikhru, 3204 persons have been out of the DQs. The report also stated that out of 8233 persons put under home quarantine (HQ), 7700 were out of HQs and 533 were currently under HQs across the state. The daily report also gave details of manpower and health facilities etc. available across the state. (More table on p-4) K Y M C